Tap vs. Distilled vs. R. Osmosis water

[Bonsai Nut]

Lead for plumbing was not outlawed until about 1975 or 1980.

1986

Lead in Chicago drinking water

 

[ChristianDGreat]

For those who uses RO? Which brand do you guys recommend?

Thanks!

 

[Scriv]

Not pointing fingers, but I'm reading a lot of posts from people who have never lived in an area with extremely bad water.

Southern California - high pH, hard water with moderate alkalinity, high dissolved sodium, high chloramine. Put 6" of untreated city water into a 5' deep koi pond, and watch it kill 24" koi... but it is supposed to be ok for you to drink. 8.5 pH out of the tap... going into naturally high pH soils like pumice and lava with limited/no organic matter that would naturally suppress soil pH rise. When people think about alkalinity buffering pH swings, they often lose sight of the fact that soil in containers can rapidly see their buffering capacity exhausted by repeated applications of water. Yes, the first watering might have minimal impact. But after twice daily waterings over the course of a year or more? Have you ever seen a bonsai pot in Southern California and all of the insoluble solids crusting all over its surface?

I'm not trying to knock anyone in this thread, but all tap water is not equal. And you have to consider the soil in the container as well. High pH soil and high pH water? Where do you think you are going to get your acid to drop the pH into a healthy 6.0 range so you can grow acid-loving trees like maples and oaks?

In California commercial growers will often add sulfur to the soil to lower the pH. Here in North Carolina, you will often find people adding lime to their soil to raise pH. No one would hopefully suggest that you would follow the same rules for both locations.

Just saying that I moved over 100 trees across the country from SoCal and saw the majority explode with healthy new growth - looking better than I have ever seen them. Meanwhile I had a minority of desert natives that prefered alkaline conditions that immediately went into decline. And of course... olives that didn't give a crap either way

[EDIT] Quick edit. Also understand that in some parts of the West, irrigation water makes up 95% or more of your annual bonsai water. Until you experience it, it is hard to appreciate what it is like to go 9 months straight without a DROP of rain. pH rise in container soils is probably less of an issue when 50% or more of your water comes from naturally acidic rain.[/EDIT]

If you live in SoCal what would you recommend using as a water source?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

If you live in SoCal what would you recommend using as a water source?

The first thing I would do would be to go with a whole house water softener using potassium chloride to recharge the exchange resin. This will soften the water and lower the pH and may be adequate depending where you live and which water utility you have. Only if I needed additional filtration would I go with a secondary RO/DI unit, which will leave you with very clean water... but which creates a lot of waste water. SoCal water is expensive enough without flushing 50% down the drain

 

[Japonicus]

For those who uses RO? Which brand do you guys recommend?

Thanks!

Spectrapure.
However, if you go with a cheaper model, you can replace the membrane (the heart of the system)
with a Spectrapure 99% rejection rate (less waste water better for the plane, your wallet and less impurities)
along with a matched GPD flow restrictor. A 90 GPD unit, must have a 90 GPD flow restrictor which
will come in your unit accordingly . To change to a faster unit like 150 GPD you will need to remove the old flow restrictor
and replace with the new one. A 100 GPD unit will give you product water, twice as fast as a 50 GPD.

A pressure gauge before the 1st pre-filtre, and before the membrane, will alert you as to when to change
the pre-filtre(s) and carbon block. As the post gauge rises above the 1st gauge in pressure, the pre-filtre
is becoming fouled. Otherwise they match the same pressure pretty closely.

It is recommended to do a chloramine and hardness test prior to purchasing a unit.
I would recommend calling https://spectrapure.com and get their recommendations and go from there.
They used to carry refurbished 90 GPD units for a $ong, do inquire about that, I'm not seeing it on their site.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

Water is critical part to growing healthy plants that people neglect to give enough consideration. Go to a water treatment plant, you would reconsider drinking it I guarantee it. Where you live on the distribution cycle of the system will impact your “quality” as well. Driving a shallow well might be a cost effective option.

 

[Bnana]

Water is important but for many parts of the world tap water is well regulated. You can't generalise this. The poor water quality you have in parts of the US (with chlorine/chloramine/lead etc.) Is unimaginable in most EU countries. After visiting a drinkwater production plant in the Netherlands you'd stop buying bottles water.

Know your local situation!